Ventilating system for overhead crane cabs



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Patented nlan. 3l, 195'@ STATES PATENT OFFICE QZ'Q vnN'riLA'riNG `SYSTEM Foa oven-HEAD CRANE CABS 'Harold Flemming; Dedham',)l/`ass., assigner, by 'niesne assignments, to Westinghouse Electric orporation, a ecrncration of Pennsylvania Appunti@ Maren 29, 194.6, serial No. 658,346

e llllaiins; (Cl. 982-39) This invention relates to Ventilating and air conditioning systems for movable enclosures, and relates more particularly to Ventilating and air conditioning systems for the cabs of overhead cranes.

The cabs oi overhead cranes in foundries, travel above moulds and furnaces which not only add heat to, but add fuin'es and smoke to the air to which the operators `of the cranes are exposed. For providing comfortable conditions for the operators it has been proposed to mount in each cab an air cooling system utilizing mechanical refrigeration. While such equipment could cool the air satisfactorily, it could not clean the contami nated air effectively, and the cost of operating such equipment would be excessive due to the high temperatures to which the condensers wbuld be exposed.

This invention provides a ventilating and air conditioning system for the cab of an overhead crane, in which the air 'cooling and cleaning equipment and the Ventilating fan;y is located external the cab in a location providing clean air, the clean cool air being supplied to the cab through a stationary duct which connects through an air seal with a movable duct carried by the crane cab.

An object of the invention is to supply conditioned air from a remote location to a movable enclosure.

A more denite object of the invention is to supply conditioned air to the cab of an overhead crane, from equipment handling relatively clean air, and located external the cab.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an overhead crane cab equipped with an air conditioning system embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the lines 2--2 of Fig. 3, and illustrates one form of movable seal for connecting the movable and stationary ducts oi Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view looking downwardly upon an embodiment of the invention using a movable, flexible tape for providing the air seal between the movable and stationary ducts;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 6, and illustrates the details of the connection of the exible tape of Fig. 4 to the movable and stationary ducts, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the lines 6 6 0f Fig. 5.

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The Il! is the conventional operators cab o'i an overhead crane IVI. The duct I2 is attached to the cab it so as' to be movable therewith, and has one end connected into the interior of the cab for supplying air thereinto. The other end of the duct as. is connected with A the interior of the extension i3 of the horizontally extending duct It.

The duct M is connected by theV vertically ex'- tending duct l5 with the outlet of the centrifugal fan iS which is driven by the electric motor i1; The inlet of the fan is connected by the duct 3 1 extending through the wall i8 f the building, with the outlet oi" the air washer I9 having an inlet for outdoor air.

In operation, the fan lli draws outdoor ali' through the water spray in the -ir washer I9, and supplies it through the ducts l5, I 4 and I2 into the crane cab. In most locations the spray water can be recirculated providing evaporative cooling. in locations having such high wet bulb temperatures in the 'outd'csor air that evaporative cooling is not effective, the spraylwat' can be cooled by -i'ce er other forms f refrigeration.

The air washer acts to wash and clean as well as to cool the air supplied to the cab.

For preventing leakage through the connection of the movable duct l2 with the extension I3 of the stationary duct Ill, the movable seals illustrated by Figs. 2 and 3, and by Figs. 4, 5 and 6 can be used.

Referring first to Figs. 2 and 3, the slide fastener seal there illustrated will be described. The outlet end of the duct extension I3 has the outer ends of the flexible webs 28 attached thereto, the inner ends of the webs being attached to the slider channel elements ZI. The sliders 22 are connected to the ring 23 which is tted over the end of the duct l2 which connects with the duct extension I3, and extends through the perforated end wall 25 of the duct extension.

The duct I2 is movable between the channel elements 2l, the slide fasteners 22 drawing the elements '2| together on each side of the duct. As the duct I2 moves with the cab I0, one slide fastener 22 is moved ahead of the duct and releases the channel elements 2l immediately in advance of the duct thus permitting its movement between the elements. The other slide fastener 22 follows up the duct l2 and draws the channel elements 2l immediately in the rear of the duct, together. The webs "2B, the channel elements 2| and the slide fasteners thus provide an air seal on both sides of the duct I 2 as it is moved by the cab IU.

In the embodiment illustrated by Figs. 4, 5 and anantie 6, the ends 26 of the duct extension I3 extending around the duct l2, are bent over the upper and lower ends of the flexible metal tape 2l and form guide-ways in which same can move. The tape 2l is attached to the duct I2 as by being welded thereto around same, and is movable with the duct i2 as same is moved by the cab l0.

The ends of the tape 2l are windable on the reels 28 located at the opposite ends of the duct I4. As the cab I9 moves the duct l2, the tape 21 moves therewith forming a seal in the air outlet end of the duct extension i3. The tape Winds up on one reel 28 and is unwound from the other reel depending upon direction of movement. Air from the duct d thus passes through the duct l2 into the cab EG without any leakage of air around the connection of the duct i2 into the duct extension i3.

While embodiments of the invention have been described for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact apparatus and arrangements of apparatus illustrated, as modifications thereof may be suggested by those skilled in the art Without departure from the essence of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A Ventilating system for a movable enclosure, comprising a stationary duct extending alongside the path of movement of the enclosure, said duct having a longitudinally extending opening facing said enclosure, a supply duct movable with said enclosure and having one end connected to the interior thereof, means connecting the other end of said supply duct with said opening and forming a movable closure for the opening, said means including a tape movable with said supply duct and extending from opposite sides thereof parallel said opening, and including walls extending from said stationary duct at opposite sides of said opening in contact with said tape, and means for supplying air into said stationary duct.

2. A Ventilating system as claimed in claim 1 in which the tape is flexible, and in which reels are provided at the opposite ends of the opening for winding up one end of, and unwinding the other end of, the tape during movement thereof.

3. A Ventilating system for a movable enclosure, comprising a stationary duct extending alongside the path of movement of the enclosure, said duct having a longitudinally extending opening therein facing said enclosure, a supply duct movable with said enclosure and having one end connected to the interior thereof, means connecting the other end of said supply duct with said opening and forming a movable closure for the opening, said means including a tape around the other end of said supply duct and extending from opposite sides thereof parallel said opening and including walls extending from said stationary duct at opposite sides of said opening with guideways for the tape at their ends opposite the stationary duct, and means for supplying air into the stationary duct.

4. A Ventilating system as claimed in claim 3 in which the tape is iiexible, and in which reels are provided at the opposite ends of the opening for winding up one end of, and unwinding the other of, the tape during movement thereof.

HAROLD HEMMING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,251,230 Ragsdale July 29, 1941 2,268,530 Waechter Dec. 30, 1941 2,348,455 Daudelin May 9, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 19,838 Great Britain 1905 498,449 Germany Mar. 22, 1930 

